What you see is not what it seems
by mitsuishi
Summary: Two nerds: an ugly girl with glasses and a troublemaker. They have never thought there could be something more than friendship between them, but the moment he starts to see somebody and she changes her appearance everything becomes more complicated.
1. Prologue

**What you seem is not what it seems**

Prologue

"I haven't done anything wrong!" A small boy with messy orange hair put his small, clenched fists on his head, trying to protect himself from the pushing and spitting that fell on him from six bigger kids.

"My mom says you are doomed, that's why you have such a strange hair color and talk to yourself!" A boy with freckles and brown shag kicked the smaller one, who was cornered behind the entrance of the kindergarten.

"Yeah, mine says the same, you are doomed!" A black haired one child joined the group and started to hit the prey harder.

The smallest one crouched, hiding his head in his arms and tried to stop the tears that came to his eyes.

The kicks and punches hurt.

The words hurt even more.

Even if he didn't believe them, because his mom assured him that he is _not _doomed, it was still horrible, he wished they would just leave him alone.

How will he tell his mommy that he had caused trouble once again? She will be really worried, she would not smile the way she usually smiles, she would wrinkle her forehead and ask Kaien what had happened… he cannot let his mommy worry about him…

"Look at him he's crying! Are you gonna go to your mommy? You can't even take care of yourself, can't you?" The group of boys around him became more aggressive and all he could do was to curl up and wait until they finish and go away. The punches became harder and the orange haired boy started to weep loudly.

"He's so pathetic!"

"Look, he's trembling!" A burst of laugh reached his ears, as the bullies increased the strength of the hits.

"Let's rip his hair off! Maybe it will grow again in normal color!" Somebody in the group shouted and poor child felt many palms pulling his hair.

That was so painful, that the tears became to flow with even bigger stream than they already were. When will they let him go?

"You are so strange, how something like you could even be born just like us? How can you be Kaien's brother?" Children were screaming cruelly while causing extreme physical and mental pain to the smallest and weakest boy.

With every second they became more merciless, finding more and more ways to humiliate the "weird one" or try to make him "normal".

"Hey, leave him alone!" A group of bullies heard the tough voice and stopped the tortures for a minute, trying to figure out who was the one who dared to ruin their favorite entertainment.

A tiny girl with messy black hair and huge glasses on, looked at them defiantly, like she was not afraid of them at all. They slowly turned around and walked in her direction.

She still didn't seem to lose her confidence. She stood in her spot looking at her enemies with eyes unnaturally enlarged by the glasses.

"And who are you, you cobra-girl, to tell us what to do? Do you want to switch places with him?"

"You can't beat somebody who can't defend himself!" She screamed with a strong voice, even though she slowly started to realize that seven boys were intending to beat her. So she did the only thing that seemed reasonable.

She cut legs of one of them, grabbed the hand of the orange haired crybaby and pulled him after her. The boy looked like somebody who didn't know what exactly was happening; he seemed really scared and not sure if he could trust her.

She squeezed his hand harder and ran faster, because the bullies finally realized what had happened and rushed after them, spending a wild cry of fight. She couldn't see how far behind they were because of her weak sight, but thanks to her suppleness she managed to overcome a hole in the fence-forcing her companion to do the same- and then they jumped together into the nearest bush, to hide themselves from the group of angry preschoolers, who really wanted a revenge for ruining their favorite fun.

Luckily, they didn't notice a slight movement of the bush they landed into and passed them shouting loudly, swearing revenge.

A pair of chased kids breathed heavily in the bush, still holding each other hands tightly, too afraid to make even the smallest move. Leaves gave them a perfect shelter and they could not feel safer in any other place.

When the sound of the noisy group disappeared in the distance, the girl finally turned her enormously huge eyes towards her new friend.

"That was close." She noticed his tearstained face and felt really angry. How could he not even try to defend himself?

"Oh, stop crying. You look pathetic, don't you know that? They only look for someone like you." She whispered and started to wipe boy's face off with the dirty sleeve of her sweater. After she had finished, he looked worse than previously, because his face was covered in the smudges of dust. This connected with messy orange hair, a few scratches and scared look in the eyes gave him a look of an orphan, who begged on the street.

He wept a couple more minutes, not saying a word, just sitting quietly between the thin branches of the bush.

Weakling, crybaby, weeper… Those were a few from a sea of words the girl could use to describe him. She proudly thought that she was never like that; even though other kids made fun of her more frequently than of any other, she has never looked this pathetic, and as much as her health allowed, she could take a revenge on those who were teasing her.

But there was something in that boy, what made her want to take care of him; it was the opposite feeling of most of their peers- they always felt more like beating him, to show him how little he's worth, especially compared to his twin brother.

"Hey." She spoke casually, trying to make him focus on something other than his wounds.

Unfortunately he didn't react.

"Hey, look at me." She put her hand on his, which rested on his knees, while his head was hidden between them. He reacted at the touch and raised huge, watery, amber eyes at her.

"Where do you live? I will walk you home. Don't cry." She wiped his tears once again.

"I can't tell you." He replied, while his huge eyes didn't get any smaller; he was still very scared.

"Why not?"

"I can't tell strangers where I live."

"I just saved you, you can tell _me_."

"But my mommy said…"

"Do you want to meet them again? If they see you again today, they will not be very pleased, you know that?"

"But…"

"Just tell me where you live! Now!"

"Won't you tell anyone?" he asked suspiciously.

"I won't." She sighed so deeply that the heavy glasses slid down an inch on her tiny nose.

"You promise?" He raised his hand uncertainly towards her with his smallest finger and she reached hers.

"I promise." With that she took his hand and they left their hideout.

They walked proudly through the town and people who passed them smiled at the view- a pair of the ugliest and dirtiest kids they have ever seen.

The girl, which was taller for about an inch had raven, uncombed hair, which created an aureole around her head, huge glasses, that extended her naturally big eyes about three times, an emerald sweater, with a hole in the sleeve, dirty with dust and mud; and light, jeans dungarees, also covered with all types of dirt.

The boy walking by her side had messy, orange hair, where two or three small leaves stuck at the back of his head, a yellow T-shirt, stained and torn in a few places; the same went for his brown, corduroy trousers. His look was even more amusing, because his face was covered with smudges of dirt and his nose and cheeks were scratched.

What was the funniest thing, neither of them seemed to pay attention to their looks, they just walked down the street, holding each hands tightly, speaking about some very importing issues, considering the looks on their faces.

"Don't worry, next time I will also protect you." She squeezed his hand harder.

"And one day I will protect you." He squeezed her hand back.

"Ok. So I guess we are friends now." The boy turned his petrified face towards her.

"I don't have any."

"Don't worry, me neither. But from now on, we're gonna be friends forever."

"And you won't make fun of my hair?" He asked with hope.

"I won't. But you can't make fun of my glasses." She replied sharply.

"That's fair. Do you want to meet my mom?" Suddenly he became more energetic and started to pull her harder towards his home.

That day, they had promised each other one more thing: that neither of them will never be alone again.

**~Hello! This is just a prologue, starting in Ichigo and Rukia's childhood. This will be totally AU fic, some facts are totally different from manga, but I will try to keep most characters IC as well as I can. **

**It will be about 10 chapters long and I want to warn you, that the updates might not be regular, since my life is of that type. I never know when I get time for writting. **

**I'm hoping to find out what you think, thank you a lot for reading!**

**Take care,**

**M.**


	2. Friends

"Can you explain to me how is that possible that my own dog brings _you _the stick _I_ threw him?" Ichigo shook his head with resignation, watching how his huge German Shepherd puts the wooden stick in front of Rukia's trainers, frisking happily.

"It's simple, he likes me and you just give him food, right Zangetsu?" She leaned and scratched the sensitive places behind the dog's black ears.

"You like that, don't you?" She asked observing how the dog's head bends a little bit to the right as she massaged his right ear. She even got a proper response as a low grunt.

"You're just licking his boots, that's not fair." Ichigo sat on the grass next to Rukia and his dog, while she deceived Zangetsu with the stick, pretending she's throwing it away, when in fact she only marked the throw and hid the stick behind her back. The huge dog didn't seem to mind, he just ran back and forth, frisking all the time. Finally she threw it for real with all her force and sat beside Ichigo, putting her bag nearly and adjusting the oversized glasses that slid too low during the play with the dog.

"I just can't believe that within two weeks we'll be no longer high schoolers. It seems surreal." Rukia rolled up the sleeves of her grey, baggy hoodie and started to pull the grass. She was thinking how her life would change in the second part of the year, when she and Ichigo will start studies. They will probably not see each other as often as these days; who knows, maybe they will lose the contact completely?

She looked at the messy orange hair that seemed unchanged for all these years, and thought that it was not possible. There was too strong bond between them to cut it so easily, they will still meet, just not as frequently as now.

"Speaking of school, we should probably be studying for finals at the moment." Ichigo lied his back on the ground and put his forearms under his head, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, you look a lot like studying right now." She stroke his side lightly, while continuing her play with the grass.

"I am relaxing after the school, so that I could study more effectively after I come back at home." He replied still not opening his eyes. It was too comfortable like this… The sunny weather, the scent of the fresh grass, birds chirping somewhere in the trees and not many people in the park, what was really rare. If only he could stay like that forever…

"Knowing you, the only thing you'll be doing _more effectively _is killing zombies on your x-box." Rukia sighed heavily. "I have no idea how you do it; you study so little and you always have best grades, that's not fair. I spend whole days studying…"

"… and you're always number one, just like it's supposed to be." He finished lazily.

"That's not true… I'm not _always_ number one." Taking advantage of her friend's closed eyes she started to put small pieces of grass into his hair. The green blended in pretty well with the bright orange strands.

"Right, not always; only about 99 times for 100 possible." He replied ironically.

"Do you have any problem with that?" He raised himself on the elbows and scowled deeper, when he felt the grass was falling into his eyes.

"What the hell….?" Ichigo started to shake his head so that everything fell out of his hair. Noticing Rukia's evil smirk, he didn't have to ask who did that.

"What's so funny? You better watch out; next time…" He didn't get to finish the sentence because Zangetsu pushed the dirty stick into his chest. Ichigo really started to wonder on whose side he was. "Traitor." He mumbled to the dog, but took away the toy and threw it so far away, he didn't even see where it landed. Within a second the dog was gone as well.

"I think we should go, we've wasted enough time here, I still have tons of things to do today." Rukia raised herself from her spot and stretched her hand to Ichigo to help him stand up. He caught it casually, but instead of standing up, he only pulled her down and she landed hardly on her butt.

"That hurts, moron." She tried to kick him, but by that time he was already standing above her with a triumphant smirk.

"I know. You asked for it, I still have grass in my hair." He shook his head to prove her and it looked kinda creepy to see some green pieces floating around him. "We'd better hurry if you want to get that game from me. You know I won't let you out without one round of Need for Speed?"

Rukia sighed heavily. She knew it. It was always like that, and she also knew that one round will probably turn into a two-hours-long session of race games on his x-box.

"It will be only your fault if I don't get into the Art Academy. And then I'll make you pay for my private lessons, I swear." Rukia turned around to check where Zangetsu was, but Ichigo was already walking to the back gate of the park, even though she couldn't look out his pet anywhere.

"He'll find us, come on." Rukia hesitated for a second before she followed her friend. Speaking of friendship, how long how it been? Ten years? Twelve?

"Hey, Ichigo? I was just wondering, how long do we know each other?" She could remember the day they met very clearly, but she could not place the event in the time for life.

"Hmm… I guess we were in the kindergarten back then… first year probably, because I remember it felt quite weird to be alone without parents…"

"Don't tell me we know each other for fifteen years… I can't believe I endured so long with you."

"You endured? Don't be ridiculous, if anybody was enduring anything, it was me. I don't even remember how many times I had to save you from the trouble… that foul mouth of yours… seriously, you could at least accost someone of your size, not the biggest guys at school."

"Don't complain, you know how it was back then. We were always the two strangely looking nerds, they didn't like _both _of us." In Rukia's head appeared the images of countless fights that she and Ichigo took part in… At first they both were engaged in the fights at the same level, but at the time went by, it was mostly Ichigo who took all the bruises. He took those addressed for him and for her.

It was astonishing, how two completely unrelated to each other people could become so close together.

Rukia didn't even remember her parents. She was raised by her sister's husband, Byakuya Kuchiki, who was probably the coldest and the most composed human on the Earth. He gave her food, clothes, pocket money and everything she needed, but one thing he wasn't able to give her was feeling of affiliation to his family. He just went to work every day, came back, ate dinner in silence and worked in the office he created in one of the rooms of their spacious house. As for her sister, she died so early, that Rukia's memories of her were blurry and incomplete. Byakuya never spoke about her; either it was too painful for him, or he just didn't feel like talking to _her._ From Rukia's point of vision Ichigo was the only one who cared what happens to her. If it was about Byakuya, she wasn't sure if he would be sad if she died hit by a truck.

Rukia glanced at Ichigo's wide back and thought how much he changed since their first meeting. He wasn't a crybaby anymore, hell no. It was the last thing one could say about Ichigo Kurosaki. He would kick anybody's ass if only he found a good reason for it.

His whole look changed; he was tall, muscled, thanks to karate trainings and generally most girls thought about him as a _hottie_ even though they were too scared to even say hi. He never really talked to anyone if he didn't feel the need to and generally there was only one person he was seen with: _Rukia Kuchiki_.

That ugly, scurvy, short girl who was always hanging around with Kurosaki. There was a moment during a high school that people made stupid jokes about them together, claimed that they were secret, _nerd_ lovers, but Ichigo brutally knocked that idea out of heads of those who were spreading the awful rumors. After a few interventions like that ended the gossip, but Ichigo was suspended for a three days.

Not like it was only once. A few times it was damn close to get him expelled from school, but teachers always were favorable to his father who was a respected doctor and a fantastic mother, who could make friends with a devil himself. Having a twin brother, who was one of the best students also helped a few times. However, Ichigo really hated the fact that _the piece of shit_, how he called his brother helped him a few times. He really couldn't stand it, because even though they were twins, they hated each other more than anything.

He always said that his brother is the worst motherfucker in the whole planet, but due to all his efforts to prove that fact, he never could convince people that amazing Kaien, the star of the school soccer team and the student government president was such a bad person as Ichigo described him.

Even Rukia, despite the _will_ to hate Kaien, never could find anything what would discredit the guy in her eyes; ok, maybe he had much too many girlfriends, but that's not the reason to hate your brother, right?

Anyway, Rukia never had any longer conversation with Kaien than "Hi", which also was pretty rare from him. He was constantly surrounded with a bunch of girls, who looked like top models, so she wasn't surprised that he didn't want to admit he knew somebody like her. She actually was blind, but that didn't mean she didn't realize how did she look like. The ordinary black hair, tied in the messy ponytail at the base of her neck, too long fringe that stubbornly fell between her eyes, what veiled her vision a bit, because she was also wearing extremely thick glasses. At the age of 19 she had a really serious vision defect and there was no helping it. Considering her style of clothing, or rather _lack _of style- baggy sweatshirts, t-shirts, to mask her tiny posture, simple blue jeans and trainers didn't make her the most popular girl at school.

She was used to being the worst one from the early childhood, so she never really cared about people's comments, she just replied them as venomously as she could and held her head up high.

One thing her brother ever taught her was to be proud and never care about others objections.

As long as she had Ichigo, and Ichigo had her, they didn't need anybody else.

"Yo, what's taking you so long?" Ichigo waved his hand in front of Rukia's head to bring her back, because it looked like she was in a really deep thought, walking extremely slowly behind him.

"Wha-? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about how much messed up we both are. Where's Zangetsu? I haven't seen him yet." She looked around, but there was no sign of the dog anywhere, even though they were far away from the park. Actually, a couple more streets and they will reach Kurosaki household.

"No need to worry about him, he'll find us soon. And yeah, we're pretty messed up, but that's not exactly our fault." He winced, probably picturing all the insults and bullying they received.

"I just hope that when you go to the Med School, and I start my Art studies, there'll be a couple of normal people. I mean it would be pretty sad to…"

"Shut up, you didn't even get into Art School yet and you're already complaining? Whatever will be, will be and you can always call me to kick some asses if necessary." He tapped her forehead, with a slight smile dancing on his lips. "Now, cut the sentimental crap and prepare for a big defeat in the following race. Zangetsu!" Ichigo whistled sharply, because they have already reached his house, yet his dog was procrastinating more than usually. He looked around, and finally noticed a huge black point between the trees, moving with enormous speed.

"Finally." Ichigo sighed as the animal finally caught them and in the sudden rush of energy jumped on Ichigo, resting his forepaws on his chest, completely ruining his "Nice Vibe" T-Shirt with mud.

"Zan…!" He wanted to scold him, but gave up when the shepherd licked his cheek. "Now you like me as well, huh?" He patted the black fur on the head. "You are probably hungry, that's why you're so enthusiastic, am I right?" The dog came back to the normal position and waved his tail energetically.

Rukia observed the whole scene with a smile. Ichigo could believe that Zangetsu liked her better, but that was not true, she had never seen any dog which would be so loyal and obedient to its master as Zangetsu was to Ichigo.

He found him on the street when he was still a puppy a few years ago; it was really hard to believe that such a _beast_ grew up from something so weak. Ever since that day, Ichigo took care of the dog like it was his baby. His family agreed to keep the pet only on condition that it will be invisible to the other household members. That's why he keeps him in his room and goes out with him as often as possible.

What was interesting, Ichigo never needed a leash. Zangetsu just walks close to his legs or sometimes during the long walks runs somewhere, but always comes back whenever Ichigo whistles at him.

"Are you coming?" Ichigo opened widely the door to his house.

"Ah, sure. Only one round, I really need to go." She raised her pointer finger to put an emphasis on _one_.

"Of course, only one." He said innocently, but both of them already knew that this has never ended after one round.

_Three hours later_

"DAMN YOU!" Ichigo shouted, throwing the joystick on the ground in front of him. "Just at the end!"

"See? This is how _leaders_ play." Rukia leaned nonchalantly on Ichigo's bed's frame. "Now I really need to go because it sure as hell passed a few hours since I got here." She stood up and Ichigo only sent her his famous smirk.

"I'll walk you to the door."

They walked downstairs, passing Kaien, who only glanced quickly at them and went forward without any greeting.

Typical.

Rukia continued her tirade about Ichigo paying for her private art lessons, when Ichigo's mother greeted her from the kitchen. "Rukia! Nice to see you, darling. I didn't even know you were here! Will you stay for a dinner?" Just looking at this beautiful, widely smiling woman wearing a kitchen apron made Rukia's heart warmer. Ichigo was such a lucky guy to have a family like this.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Kurosaki. I'd love to, but Ichigo had already held me out here longer than I planned." She replied putting her shoes on.

"Do not listen to her, mom, I didn't force her to anything."

"Like you could force Rukia to anything." Ichigo's mother laughed, stirring something in the big pot.

"Exactly. So, see you tomorrow at school?" Ichigo asked seeing that Rukia was ready.

"Yeah, dumbass." She stuck out her tongue. "Good bye Mrs. Kurosaki, have a nice day!" Ichigo wanted to catch her to at least mess her hair for that dumbass thing, but she was already gone.

He closed the door and went to the kitchen to accompany his mother. He always liked when there were only the two of them, without Kaien and his idiot father.

"Mmm, that smells fantastic…. What's for dinner?" He opened one lid and looked inside to inspect the content.

"Just a roast with vegetables. You can have a soup now if you're hungry." Masaki didn't wait for his response, only poured some of the hot liquid into a deep plate. Somehow she always knew whenever her sons were hungry; in addition she could always tell what they felt like eating. The same went with her husband, but that one would eat even a poison if only she would hand it to him; he would probably praise her for the wonderful taste as well.

"Thanks." Ichigo took a spoon and sat behind the table in the kitchen, his face directed towards his mother, so that they could still talk, even though she was cooking.

"Have you applied all the forms at schools?"

"Yeah, I hope I'll get a place in Karakura University, so that I won't have to move out."

"I hope so too, it would be so quiet here without you and Kaien! Do you know where did he apply? I haven't talked to him about it yet…" Ichigo was well aware that this was a lie, his mother knew, as everybody else that Kaien applied to the marines, but she never stopped her attempts at bringing the twins together. She was a good mother, Ichigo loved her with all his heart and would do everything for her, but the only thing she wanted was out of his reach: he simply couldn't get along with his brother. He hated deceivers and his own twin was the worst kind of the worst of them.

God knows, how many times Ichigo tried to, but it never worked. They were two different people and Ichigo didn't feel anything other than contempt for Kaien.

He was wondering how to avoid that question and change the topic, when he heard the characteristic stomping on the stairs.

"Well, you will have a chance now, since he's coming." Masaki sent him one sad look and came back to stirring. Ichigo always felt guilty in those situations, no matter how hard he tried to push that feeling away and convince himself, that it wasn't his fault.

It was really difficult, when everybody were looking at you as the "worst one" since the day you were born.

It all started because of his orange hair.

Their parents never judged him because of that, they loved him unconditionally, but strangers… that was a whole different story.

They loved Kaien, who was a role model of a son, student, even a boyfriend. It didn't matter that he changed his girls faster than the socks, he was considered as an ideal.

Ichigo, on the other hand, always caused trouble. In the beginning he was beaten badly, mostly because of his hair, that's why he-along with Kaien- was sent to train martial arts. When he learned how to defend himself, he gained the reputation of somebody who always picked a fight, even though it was not true at all.

He never looked for trouble; ironically, the trouble always found him.

Kaien never had that kind of problems, he was always on the pedestal, wallowing in his own glory and brilliance.

People always thought that Ichigo was simply jealous of Kaien, but again, that was not true.

As his twin brother, Ichigo knew things about Kaien that nobody else knew. He knew his dark side, which was a lot darker than anybody could ever imagine.

However Ichigo was the kind of guy, who would hold his tongue and don't whore around compromising facts about his brother. If he managed to keep it secret, he definitely won't be the one to reveal them. As long as nobody's hurt, he didn't care.

Let the rest of the world worship Kaien, but he will definitely not join that group.

"Hey mom! Hey brother!" As always irritatingly happy, Ichigo thought, observing his twin who kissed Masaki's cheek and took a plate of soup as well. Ichigo didn't answer.

He simply listened to their conversation, butting in from time to time when he wanted to ask something his mother. He had no interest in talking to that piece of shit.

"Oh, I totally forgot. I turned on the washing machine some time ago, it must be ready up to now. I am leaving you here, the roast must be ready by now, just take it from the oven-pan and the salad is in the fridge in the plastic bowl. Enjoy your meal!" Masaki left hastily, her long blonde hair waving behind her.

Ichigo didn't raise his eyes from the plate, he just wanted to finish his meal in peace. From a long experience he knew that starting any kind of conversation with Kaien was useless; either he talked about himself or they just started to argue. That's why he chose to stay silent.

"I was always wondering…" Kaien put the spoon on the side of the plate and weaved his fingers, looking at Ichigo expectantly.

He won't provoke him, not this time.

"… why are you still seeing Kuchiki?" That was a little unexpected, Kaien had never spoke about Rukia; he always seemed to not acknowledge her existence. That's why Ichigo made a mistake and looked up. He noticed the wicked smile and he just knew that he will try to piss him off.

Not this time.

Kaien was well aware of Ichigo's short temper and used it too many times to compromise him, but he will not give him that satisfaction again.

"I mean, just look at her? She doesn't even look as a girl. I'm sure you could do _so _much better, you're my twin after all, no matter how you look at it." Ichigo felt that his blood started to run faster in his veins and he knew that if he's going to pull that off, this will end up really badly.

Insulting Rukia was one of the top positions on his list titled "Allowed to break all the limbs."

"There are so many girls in our school that would love to go out with you, but you stick with that individual. I want to know why." Ichigo continued to eat his soup, even though he squeezed the spoon so hard that his knuckles went white. Feeling of a pair of blue eyes drilling his head wasn't helping.

"Ah, I see. You don't feel like sharing that secret with me… Let me _speculate _then." He heard a small tone of triumph in his words.

"It obviously isn't her appearance, so it must be her _inside_ that is so… _fantastic._" The way he said it… Ichigo just knew he didn't mean her personality in that sentence. He could kill him with no regrets at the moment, but there were still small amounts of patience in his stock.

"That long hours you two spend in your room… _Studying_, as I suppose." Kaien chuckled lightly again and it was an unctuous smile of a pervert. "She's so small, that I suppose there's a possibility she has something in store indeed… But tell me… is she that good that her face doesn't disturb you, while you're doing her?"

Ichigo's tomato soup splashed around the table as he threw the spoon into it with all his force. Next second he reached his brother's chair, and faster than he could blink he started to pummel his still smiling face. He had no mercy, he wanted to see him bleeding, shouting in pain that he appeals everything he had told, he wanted him beg him for forgiveness, which he would never get.

However his expression was far from that, despite the fact that his face was crushed, he seemed… amused.

He had still that dirty smirk on his mouth, as if he was testing him, saying "I knew that will turn you on." That made Ichigo twice as mad that he lost control once again, but didn't stop beating his brother, he wanted to make him at least unconscious.

"Ichigo! What are you doing? Let go of him!" Masaki ran to the kitchen, her face horrified. Ichigo's fist ceased moving right next to Kaien's nose.

"I can't believe it! Did it start again? I thought it was over you, my God, Kaien, are you ok? Can you stand?" Masaki bent down to help Kaien get up on the floor and hugged him gently. Ichigo stood behind these two and clenched his fists when he saw that bastard smiling. If only their mother didn't come in…

"I'm going to take care of him, but you Ichigo… I am so disappointed. " Mrs. Kurosaki looked so worried what made her look a lot older than she was in reality. Ichigo's heart was bleeding that she suffered because of him once again. "What happened?" She demanded to know, still holding Kaien, who smiled even wider, because he knew that Ichigo would never repeat that kind of things to Masaki.

Ichigo stayed silent.

"Tell me Ichigo, what happened? It's your only chance, you know what happens if you don't give me a good reason…"

"I… I…" No, Ichigo pleaded in his mind, the summer was right around the corner, he had so many plans…

"Tell me what happens or we'll contact Mr. Urahara."

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

So he was stuck with that twisted psychologist for another unlimited time. Great.

Just great.

"You give me no choice. Kaien?" She finally turned her face to the other son, and his smile immediately turned into the grimace of pain.

"Nothing much… he just got really angry about a joke I said… I think we should go to the bathroom, I'm going to stain all the house with this." He pointed at the blood dripping from his nose and mouth.

Ichigo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth together. It was just not fair.

%%%

"Tell me all about it." Rukia placed the tray with her lunch on the table they always occupied together with Ichigo. Not many people joined them; they were never in a good terms with anybody specific, but some people were OK, like Sado Yasutora, Ishida Uruyuu or Renji Abarai. But they sat with them only from time to time, mostly when they had something to talk about.

"He just pissed me off purposely once again, that's it." Ichigo avoided Rukia's eyes, focusing on making a mess in his lunch. He knew that one look on her and she would read him like an open book, and she wouldn't let go until she found out what exactly did he say, which was unacceptable.

Rukia only rolled her eyes in response and took a bite of her meal. It looked a bit hilarious since her eyes were so huge with those glasses. Sometimes he wondered how did she look without them. But she never even took them off to clean the glass with him around, so he guessed she felt uncomfortable without them.

What a stupid reasoning.

Of course she didn't like going out without them, because she was completely blind, so she needed them to function properly.

"For how long are you grounded then?" Rukia gave up, even though she was curious what had happened between these two again. Anyway, she respected Ichigo's will not to talk about it. Probably it was something personal, so she didn't push.

The canteen was slowly becoming crowded, more and more students came to have a lunch. There were long queues to the stalls with fast foods, and shorts ones to the ones with healthy food, just like in many other high school canteens all around the world.

"Oh my God, I can't believe that the prom is just tonight! I have booked a hairdresser, manicure, pedicure and make up right after school, I hope I'll be ready on time! And can't wait for Mamoru to see me!" a bunch of girls passed their table, chirping and squealing about the upcoming prom, which takes place the next night.

"I know, right? I can't wait to Masashi to see me either, I hope he'll like my dress!"

"What color you have, I'm sorry, I don't remember…"

The conversation kept going, but the girls already passed them. Rukia send them one long look.

"Christ, if those three spent the time they sacrificed for preparations for the prom for studying, they would at least have decent grades."

Ichigo leaned more comfortably on the chair, relieved that the uncomfortable topic has been changed.

"I don't think they care about something as _trivial_ as grades." He sneered. That kind of people always made him laugh. But who knows, maybe they were happier that way?

"That reminds me…" They both started at the same time.

"You first." Ichigo finished his lunch and put the plate a little further from him, to make place for his elbows.

"Naah, you first. Mine is not important." Rukia looked away because she felt stupid to ask him to go with her to a prom.

She always thought she didn't care about that kind of overrated event, but yesterday, after her reflections about the last year in the high school, she thought it would be good to at least go and check how it's like, no need for dancing, making a pedicure or manicure. She could buy a dress today after school, it's not a big deal.

Considering the fact that she had nobody else to ask to accompany her, she thought Ichigo would be a pretty good companion.

On condition he said yes, because as far as she knew, he didn't like that kind of things either.

"Fine. Mine is not important either, but I think I didn't tell you that I'm going with Inoue to a prom? She begged me with those puppy eyes of hers and I felt it would be cruel to say no. Don't look at me like that, I am not enjoying It, I'm sure it's gonna be boring." He spread his hands widely on the table and looked like someone who was really tired.

"But never mind, what did you want to tell me?"

"Oh…" Rukia's head was spinning. Ichigo on a prom? With Inoue, of all people? She realized that the girl was madly in love with him, and as the only one wasn't afraid to speak to him-_except her, naturally-_ but she couldn't imagine somebody more inaccurate for Ichigo than her; he didn't pay attention to other people, always stood aside, rather quiet in contact with others, and she was so easy-going, cheerful and always in the middle of attention, be it for her beauty or naivety.

Rukia couldn't comprehend how it was possible that she fell in love with Ichigo of all people. She could say he said yes because he was pitying her- that was just like him, to make somebody else happy by his own expense- but could it be that he had warmer feelings for her?

"Oh, that's really nothing, I just thought we could watch "Star Wars" for our own celebration of the upcoming end of the year, but that can wait." She tried to smile happily, but she had a feeling it didn't turn out very well.

If Ichigo starts dating Inoue, their friendship will never be the same again; but hell, it has to happen sooner or later.

Just why so soon?

"I see… I'm sorry." He winced unhappily. "How about tomorrow?"

"I can't. Business lessons with my brother. "She sighed heavily. "You know, the deal is the deal, when I am not accepted to the Art Academy, I take over his company." She winced at the thought. There wasn't anything that she hated more than paperwork, that job would kill her. That's why she always studied the hardest she could. "But don't worry, we've already seen all parts like… I don't know, 300 times?"

"But it's still fun." Ichigo grinned and they heard a loud sound of the school bell.

The break was over.

"I'll meet you later and we'll set up the date. See ya!" He picked his bag, waved his hand and left the canteen, while Rukia cleaned up everything.

He turned around to see how she quickly threw everything disposable into the rubbish bin and rushed through the second exit, along with fifty other students, being pushed and trampled. He sighed, because some things will never change; even though it was already the last year of the high school, people still hated them because of their appearance.

He walked through the staircase, not paying attention to his surroundings. Was it only his imagination, or she felt a little down after he told her about the prom?

He couldn't deny that he would rather watch Star Wars with Rukia even a thousandth time, than to go on that stupid school party. Especially knowing that Rukia's asshole brother would force her to deal with piles of papers the day after, what she hated.

He exhaled deeply and entered the class, where most of the seats were already taken.

There was no helping it, you don't choose yourself a family.

Unfortunately.

With not a very good mood he quickly unpacked his books and waited for a teacher to come.

**~ Now, this chapter gave you a little idea about this whole fanfic. I'll try to keep everybody in character, except Kaien, naturally, as you might notice in this chapter. In first version it was supposed to be Shirosaki, but I thought he's too mad to be a human xD I hope you liked it so far and I'm hoping to get some oppinions, which could help me make this fanfic better.**

**Thanks for reading and have a nice day/night.**

**M.  
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	3. The Prom

**3. The Prom**

Ichigo walked into the night towards Inoue's apartment. He felt really uncomfortable with the black suit and a red tie, that his mom forced on him, since it was the first time he had ever attended a school party. Masaki almost burst into tears when he announced that he is leaving and will probably come back in the early morning hours; what was really fortunate, she had forgot about his punishment. However when she noticed that he had no tie and no bow, she stopped him and claimed that he could not leave without one.

He agreed to leave in peace, but it only made him feel worse, because the formal clothing always drove him crazy. He felt like ripping the red material off and open a few upper buttons in his shirt. The way he was right now brought the prison to his mind.

Ichigo glanced at the floor and smirked at the only one comfortable thing; his favorite black converse trainers. It would be a little too much to handle all night in that devilish clothes and shoes in addition, with all those drunk people, who treated him like a trash. He couldn't wait for it to finish, even though he had not arrived there yet.

He breathed in heavily and knocked into Inoue's wooden door. Thank God she lived alone, at least he didn't have to deal with her parents. If it comes to appearance, adults were no better; they judged him as dangerous criminal, who picked up the fights and was a threat to children, teenagers, adults and generally the rest of the world. Fortunately he dealt with it a long time ago and didn't pay any attention to prejudices like that.

Ichigo really didn't care what others thought, he just wanted them to leave him alone.

"Hey Ichigo!" He was welcomed by cheerful voice of Inoue Orihime, his classmate. He had no idea what did that girl see in him and why was she so persistent. He had nothing against her, but sometimes it was hard to stand her always optimistic view of life. "You look fantastic! And wow! Those trainers really match you! I'm so glad you agreed to go with me! Do you want to come in?" She opened the door wider and this was the first time he saw all her form.

Even though he was never the one to chase after girls, he couldn't help but to admit that she looked beautiful. She wore long, emerald green, satin dress without straps and her hair were combed to the back of her head showing off the high forehead. The ginger cascade was held neatly on the right side of her neck, with a few strands hanging loosely around her face. Long, golden and shiny earrings gave her more distinguished look and Ichigo suddenly thought it was damn hard to say something decent.

"Umm… no thanks, I'll wait here until you're finished." He managed to stutter and watched as she disappeared inside, speaking to him from the depth of her flat about bringing the keys.

"Yosh! I'm ready! Let's go to a prom!" She squeezed his shoulder in excitement and they set off to the school. Ichigo noticed that she was a lot taller than usually and thought with fear about the high heels she was wearing, which will hurt his feet again and again during dancing, since she was the clumsiest person he had ever met.

As they walked together to the school, Ichigo felt tired. He couldn't force himself to be as excited as Inoue, so he simply walked by her side, occasionally agreeing with her.

She was talking and talking, mostly about how happy she was that he agreed to accompany her to such a fantastic event as prom, ensuring him all the time that this will be the best night of his life.

He highly doubted it, considering that he was already bored.

After they had entered the hall decorated with tons of balloons, streamers and took a commemorative photo, they had met a few friends, mostly Orihime's, since she was always the person who gathered a crowd around. He was introduced to the people he knew very well from the school corridors, a few of them were his old acquaintances, which he bruised here and there for some sarcastic comments in his direction. Each one who came to Inoue sent only one curious or disgusted look in his direction and after cold "Hello" stopped paying attention to him at all.

What impressed him the most was the fact that all those people seemed to sincerely like Inoue. He lost the number of how many of them came to say hi and greeted her heartily.

"How come you know all these people?" He asked, taking a sip of a paunch, which filled numerous white vases, dispelled on the long tables located along the ballrom's walls. There were tons of snacks as well, however Ichigo decided that he would try only those who didn't look like made in McDonald's, which, by the way, he could count on his fingers.

"Me? I don't know… I just happened to help a few of them, some live next to me, some are my classmates… you know them too, don't you?" Yeah, of course he knew them. But mostly because he had broken his noses or ribs and he didn't feel like sharing that information with Inoue.

"Well… I do, but… all of them seem to like you. It's impossible to be liked by that many people." Inoue turned her head towards him, surprised. She even stopped chewing the minisandwich with cucumber, which she had soaked in the paunch. Kind of weird, but the more time he spent with her, the more weird things he found out.

"Why do you think it's impossible?" She put the paper plate on the table.

"I don't know… it's just… impossible. Just like you can't like everyone, you also can't be liked by everyone. It is as simple as that." Ichigo wondered how to explain that issue to someone as naive and warm-hearted as Inoue.

"I don't think so. I believe that if only you try, you can find common ground with anyone." She shrugged, as if that was the simplest thing in the world.

"But what's the point? What's the point in changing yourself only to be liked by some people you don't really care about?" He felt that his usual frown deepened, because he couldn't understand her reasoning. Then he heard Inoue's light giggle.

"You simply don't change, don't you?" She placed her pointer finger on his frown. "That's ok, that's just who you are; walking around with that frown of yours and not paying attention to anyone, until someone asks you to. That's ok. But sometimes, it's worth to change this or that in order to gain something in return. If you keep yourself closed behind a wall, many good things can pass you." She smiled. "And it's not about changing yourself, it's only about letting others closer to you. I like being surrounded by people so I just seek their company, that's all. " Ichigo suddenly felt that this conversation became much more serious than it was supposed to be. Inoue must have felt the same way, because she came back to eating her sandwich, and then took a glass of paunch as well.

"Whoaa, Ichigo, this is so delicious!" She screamed after taking first sip and immediately emptied the glass. He watched it in terror. The last thing he needed in the place like this was a drunk date.

When she started to fill her glass with another portion, he quickly took it away from her.

"Shall we dance?" He had to keep in mind, that Inoue Orihime liked the alcoholic drinks, and considering the flush on her cheeks, she had a really weak head.

"Of course, that's why we are here! Let's party all night!" She said a little louder than she should and a few people looked at her with amusement.

"Ok, so let's go." He dragged her on the dance floor, but didn't notice how much more her face reddened, after he had caught her hand spontaneously. He also didn't notice, how she looked at him all night, following every his move.

What was the worst, he didn't notice how she secretly managed to drink small portions of paunch when he wasn't looking.

%%%

"I came to say good night, brother." Rukia bowed her head gently, standing in the doorway to her brother's study, where he usually worked. It was really late, and after drawing a few pencil portraits she felt really sleepy.

"Good night, Rukia." He said calmly, not lifting his head from his laptop.

"Don't work too hard, brother." She said, intending to retreat from his office, because she knew he wasn't going to reply anyway.

"Actually, I'm not working, just preparing some simulations for our tomorrow lessons. I suppose you remember about that and cancelled your private art lesson?" Rukia stayed still, holding the doorknob as tightly as her strength allowed. Every time he ordered her to cancel her tutoring because of their business lessons, it made her mad. She could do everything he ordered in her spare time, there was no need to take away the only thing that brought her joy in this house.

"Yes, of course. Thank you, brother." She managed to reply with normal voice, even though the anger gripped her throat.

"One more thing." He continued his work, still not taking his eyes off of the screen. "Your cousin, Momo has called earlier and invited you for two weeks to her house during upcoming holiday. She asked you to call back and give a proper answer tomorrow." A sharp sound of pressing enter made a pause after the last sentence. "That's all, you may leave." With that, he came back to his work, the weak light of the screen, illuminating his long and pale face, making his jet-black hair a bit more shiny than it usually was.

Rukia closed the door as quietly as she could, because Byakuya Kuchiki couldn't stand the noise, especially not during the time he was working.

When she entered her room and changed into the blue, long sleeved pajamas, she came up with the idea to paint something. It was an impulse, created during the short talk with Byakuya; if she wasn't allowed to attend to her class tomorrow, she should rally this somehow, she cannot let herself rest from practicing, not at a time like this, when the finals were closer with every day and she should use all time she's got to practice.

Her eagerness grew with every second, her sleeves were already rolled up, ponytail on its place, a new canvas on the easel, the set of oil paints within a reach of hand. She was ready.

She took a deep breath and looked at the paints. What to paint?

She stared at the items for the time, which seemed like an eternity, but nothing particular came into her mind. She was already on the level that she could create anything what her mind showed her, but in that particular moment, when she felt she needed to draw desperately, she saw blank, empty space in her head.

"DAMN IT!" She cursed in whisper, but with all the passion she could afford.

When she heard those words, spoken out loud, Ichigo immediately came to her mind. He used that phrase much too often, but hell, Ichigo was at the prom in that particular moment, and she was stuck in her room, with no inspiration.

He probably swayed with Inoue on the dance floor, enjoying the end of the year, maybe he even kissed her right now? Everybody knows what all guys want from girl on the prom… She gripped the brush harder.

Ichigo wasn't like that, she knew him too well to think he would use the situation.

But what if Inoue encouraged him? Rukia realized how much in love Inoue was with him, how much she wanted him by her side… Would she try to keep him that way?

The brush suddenly came to life in her hand.

Before she could think of the details of her next painting, she was making the thick smudges in aggressive colors. Orange, red, black, orange again… A little bit of light shade of bronze, more and more black… yes, a little more.

Her eyes narrowed, her hand holding tightly the brush and all the colors of fire dancing on her canvas, slowly a slouched, yet confident silhouette of a man appeared by the right side of the frame.

More accurately, it was Ichigo's profile, reaching almost to his waist, but from behind. He was wearing something black- a shirt, suit, kimono, never mind; it was creating a smudgy fog around him, making everything behind him black, what made a crazy contrast with his fierce, orange hair, as messy as always; his expression however was the biggest challenge; Rukia wanted it to be somewhat more demonic and… how to put it… romantic? These two things were not going in pair-especially for Ichigo- yet she felt she had to try, she just felt it was how it was supposed to be.

The usual scowl, shapely nose, full lip, shiny eye, filled with confidence and strength.

There was something missing.

She took a step back and concentrated on the detail. The colors matched, she was sure about it. The proportions of his back and face were fine, the expression matched her expectations. What was it then?

She tilted her head to the other side and caught it.

The hair was too short. In this picture he needed to be more mature.

Rukia took the orange paint and made a few small moves.

For her, he looked perfect.

Suddenly, her eyes swept the whole canvas and a feeling of resignation washed all over her.

Next to Ichigo, there was a blank space. He filled only the half of the place that was destined for a picture. The rest of it was all white.

Rukia's hands fell down, together with the brush and the palette she was holding. She knew she should finish it, but she couldn't.

She knew there should be something in that place.

_Somebody._

Rukia covered the painting with the material, not to let anyone take a look at it. It was too personal, she hardly ever created something like this.

The dirty brush landed in the dish filled with clean water, the palette shoved deeply between the other painting stuff she collected through so many years in the wooden desk that stood in front of the one she used for doing her homework.

She had never mixed art with paper work.

Never.

To put an emphasis on that fact, the desks were standing on the opposite sides of the room, in the corners of the wall, where one huge, balcony door were placed, surrounded with thick curtains in a deep turquoise color.

Her bed, placed a few steps from the desks, on the height of the "school desk" as she called it, was huge, always with clean, white sheets and tons of small cushions spread freely on it, in all shades of turquoise and violet. The wall behind it was all white, only with one poster size reproduction of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers".

The opposite wall, the one with "artistic desk" was covered in Rukia's paintings, mostly with butterflies, since they were creatures she admired the most, so light and full of colors; she never got bored of imagining new, abstract patterns for their wings. Besides, there were also a few butterfly gadgets in her room, like Indian delicate bells, or one project of a butterfly made with incredibly thin wire, which she found together with Ichigo on the flea market.

With stained pajamas, she fell heavily on the cushions, observing the pure white color of the ceiling, refusing to believe in her new discovery.

_Am I jealous about Ichigo?_

_How stupid of you, Rukia._

The thought was really surreal.

Ichigo? Her best friend? The one she kicked and punched for her whole life?

However when she thought about him with Orihime, with any other woman… it felt weird. And it wasn't only because she was afraid of their unique friendship, there was something more than that.

She just didn't want to lose him to anybody else, he was too important.

She lifted herself up heavily and walked to the bathroom. Then she washed her hands with soap, glancing at her reflection in the mirror.

The hilarious, thick glasses, a mess on the head, untidy clothing… she could never fill that blank place next to Ichigo.

They were not supposed to be a couple.

He would laugh so hard if she told him she had some feelings for him… Hell, it looked ridiculous to her as well.

However, something in the faster pace of her heart when she thought about them together…

Maybe she was just overworked before exams and her brain was going crazy.

Rukia dried her hands, walked back to her room and put the glasses on cabinet, thinking that one day she'll finish the painting, and it depends only on Ichigo, how will the end result look like. Then she dug herself deeply under the covers.

Just when she was slowly falling asleep, some irritating sound made her sit on the bed and listen carefully to the surroundings. What the hell was that?

She deduced it came from somewhere around her window, so she opened the curtains with one fast move, but hell, she forgot her glasses and couldn't check out what exactly it was.

After putting on the glasses she entered the terrace and looked around.

"Tsssk, Rukia?" She heard a loud whisper from somewhere on the ground. Rukia bent down on the balustrade and noticed Ichigo underneath, hiding in the shade of the tree, which grew beside, wearing one creased suit, with unbuttoned shirt and red tie, hanging loosely like a long strap on both sides of his neck. What was more, he was wearing trainers.

Did that fool really went to a prom with the trainers on?

"What the hell are you doing here? It's past midnight, you idiot! If my brother sees you…"

"Oh, stop talking, just put on some clothes and come down." Ichigo couldn't see her clearly, he only caught a glimpse of her bare feet on the flooring.

"What? Are you drunk?" She heard him laughing.

"I'm not drunk, I'll explain everything later, just come down." How typical of Rukia. But she'll come, he knew she would come.

"My brother would kill me if he found out." He heard her mumble, but from what he could asses, she had come back inside. About five minutes later he heard her sliding noiselessly down on the tree branches.

All in all, Rukia Kuchiki was a master in climbing trees, mostly thanks to her small posture and light weight.

"Let's go, I don't want anyone to hear us. If you're gonna cause me any trouble, and make my brother angry before I go into the Art Academy, I swear I'm gonna kill you and hate you forever." She dragged him mercilessly by his black jacket, deeper into the forest, which surrounded the West Wing of Kuchiki's mansion.

Ichigo didn't say a word, just let her pull him as hard as she wanted, until they reached some safe place. Her brother seriously was a monster. If only he knew that his sister is alone in the forest, at night, with _a man_ he would kill him and ground Rukia until the day she dies. Byakuya never liked him, and always persuaded Rukia to have more feminine friends.

He was glad that at least in this issue Rukia managed to win something and they could meet as often as they wished.

"What is it, you idiot? I can't believe you came here in this hour! Aren't you drunk for real?" Suddenly her enormous eyes came closer and she sniffed him. He couldn't help but to laugh at this action.

"Calm down, I'm not. I only drank one glass of paunch." He took off the tie completely and hid it in the pocket, it was possible he could lose it somewhere here.

"Then what did you come for?" Rukia looked at him and admired secretly how well the suit lied on him, even though it looked like he had partied all night.

"I was so bored and tired after that shitty prom, that I thought we could at least go to the lake to have our own celebration instead of watching Star Wars. What wouldn't be wasted time like those couple of hours I spent at school's gym." He scratched the back of his head, like he wasn't sure if it was a good idea indeed. "So? Are you coming?" Rukia sighed.

"Now when you've already dragged me out of my bed… do I have a choice? Come on." She hid her hands in the pockets of her loose sweatshirt.

"So tell me, what happened on the prom that it was such a disaster?" She led them in the darkness among the trees, since she was the one that never lost the sense of orientation. If it was about Ichigo… it was a true miracle that he managed to get to the right side of the house, not to mention choose the right window…

"Ah… it was… exactly how I imagined the prom. Tons of people, dressed properly in the beginning, then getting drunk and doing things they'll regret the day after… I wish I stayed at home. Instead, I had to take drunk Inoue home, because she barely stood on her feet after a few glasses of paunch." When he remembered her face with a huge blush and half closed lids, after he had left to use the bathroom, he felt embarrassed. Especially after he heard all those declarations of love and loyalty. He realized it was just paunch-speaking, but he wasn't fond of listening to all of this. A girl should have more respect for herself, not to mention that she shouldn't be a lot more… modest. If it only were the declarations of love he could easily forget it, but some offers were just… too straight. He really felt sorry for her, and hoped she won't remember a thing tomorrow.

"No way, she really did?" From the deep thought pluck him Rukia's astounded voice.

"Yeah." He glanced at his small friend and suddenly thought that it would be so much more interesting if he went with her. They could make fun of all those people all night and she wouldn't get herself into that pathetic state.

Or he should have just said no to Inoue, and stayed at home, watching Star Wars, or doing any other time-wasting thing.

"Naah, don't worry, at least you've been there and know there's nothing to regret that you missed so many. Just imagine, how lucky you are that you went on only one during so many years. That's really something."

"Well, I'm not as lucky as you, who didn't go to even one. You should get a prize for that. In my categories, you are the true prom queen." He said with a slight smirk as they sat on the wooden footbridge on the lake, letting their legs swing freely above the water.

"Well, there is no prom queen without a king, so I guess I can't be one." Rukia placed higher her glasses and smiled sadly. Ichigo scowled.

"Hey, what is it?" He bumped her arm lightly with his elbow. "Your brother again?"

Rukia pulled the legs to her chest and embraced them. Now when she was aware of her own twisted feelings it was weird to talk to Ichigo like she always did.

She needed some distance, to have a fresh look on everything. Not only on Ichigo, but also about her art, about her brother's company… If she doesn't take it over, who will? Some strangers? That was the only thing important to her brother, the reason of his living. Art was a capricious friend, that was true; there was a higher possibility that she will not succeed, than that she will.

"Mostly. His company… it's everything to him. How can I leave it like I didn't care?"

"No, Rukia, you won't do that. You won't leave everything you love just because he wants it. Has he ever showed you any sign that he cares? I'll answer: no, he didn't. Hell, he doesn't even talk to you!" Ichigo stood up and walked impatiently on the wooden bridge.

"You just can't do this! This company will kill you, you hate paper work!" Rukia didn't answer, she needed to think about it once again.

She looked at the night sky, there was quite a nice view, with so many stars shining brightly. Along with the chirping crickets it gave the peaceful feeling, where only delicate waves destroyed the perfect smoothness of the water.

"Hey." Ichigo squatted down next to her, shading the light of the moon. "Promise me you won't do that. You're too good. That bastard only wants to use you and you still want to follow his dream, not your own?" Ichigo's brows were furrowed a lot more than usually, and Rukia knew from experience, that he's gonna get angry soon.

"I'll think about it." She didn't look into his eyes.

"Hell no, you won't give me that I'll-think-about-it shit this time! Promise me, or you're landing in the lake!" he grabbed her arms all of sudden and bend her body this way, that the upper part was above, her ass sliding slowly towards the water as he pushed.

"You fool, let go of me!" Rukia struggled like crazy, but he gripped her smirking like a devil.

"Only if you promise." He repeated, holding tightly her arms.

"I won't!"

"Are you sure? I think the water is really cold… think about it!"

"I won't! Let go of me, you moron, this is not funny!" She continued to try to escape his grasp, with no success.

"Just why are you so stubborn?" He drew back his hands, disheartened. However due to the fact that Rukia was still moving rapidly, she lost her balance after he had let go of her.

"Watch out!" he tried to catch her, but his fingers only brushed the back of her blouse and she landed with the loud splash in the lake.

For a second Ichigo wondered if to jump after her, but she was a good swimmer, she should handle it. Besides it would be hard to get back on the bridge without any help, it was quite high.

"You are dead, you know that?" Rukia's low voice reached his ears and he noticed her soaked wet head under the wooden footbridge.

"That wasn't my fault, if you hadn't moved so much, you would still be here with me." He reached to her and helped her to climb on the safe place.

Rukia didn't feel like talking anymore, she drank some water and it was hard to catch a breath after that. She only lied on her back, trying to calm her ventilation and clean up the glasses so that she could see properly.

"Want me to take you home?" Ichigo's blurred face appeared above and Rukia studied the well known features, those she painted not that long time ago. Everything was on its place, only the hair was shorter.

She lifted one hand and touched the skin of his cheek with the tips of her fingers.

_So warm._

Ichigo's frown deepened, it felt a bit weird to have her touch his face this way. "Rukia?"

Rukia brought herself together and tapped his cheek harder.

"You've got something on your face." She retorted shortly and got up. "I thought it was a moth, but it was only some fly, nothing special." Ichigo got up as well. "You and those freaking butterflies. Don't tell me you like moths as well. They are disgusting."

"They are butterflies as well, they only live at night and lack of patterns. But that doesn't make them less of a butterfly."

The clothes were really heavy and cold, but there wasn't a long way from there, so she's gonna make it somehow. The water in the trainers made really irritating creaky noise, but Rukia kept walking, leaving Ichigo behind.

"Take my jacket, you must be cold." Ichigo felt a bit guilty. Looking at her soaked wet form, he realized how tiny she was. Those loose clothes she always wore masked it pretty well, but now it was all sticking to her body and she looked like a child drowned in the clothes after its father.

"I don't want your jacket. I'll ruin it without a reason. Let's just go home." She really must have been out of her mind to touch him like that. She needed a distance from everything and gain some brain.

Suddenly Momo's offer came to her mind. Apparently, it was a perfect time to visit her cousin after final exams.

**~ Hey everybody! I was really happy to read all your previous reviews. though none of you guessed what would happen :D But keep trying, it's so much fun to me to read your ideas! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and leave me some of feedback, which is really motivating :)**

**Thanks for reading and take care! **

**M.  
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	4. Free time

**4. Free time**

Ichigo put Rukia's luggage on the shelf above the seat in the train and made a step back.

"Will that be ok?"

"Sure, thanks for walking me here. I wouldn't handle this suitcase alone." She pointed above.

"I still can't believe that your brother didn't come with you. Sometimes I feel like putting some oil into his brain." He scratched his fist. "Who does he think he is, that he doesn't even have time to wave off his sister?"

"Don't say that. He's working really hard." Rukia felt a bit sorry that Byakuya didn't find the time to see her, but she understood that he was an important person, whose time was worth thousands of dollars.

"He's always working. Does he even have time to breath?" Ichigo said sarcastically hiding his hands in the pockets of his violet blouse.

"Shut up. You'd better get off of that train unless you want to go with me to Momo." She patted his black blouse on the chest, directing at the exit.

"Right, right." Ichigo stood at the platform while she leaned on the automatic door. "Do you have your ticket?"

"Yeah, it's in my bag." They still had a few minutes to talk, but there was something uncomfortable between them, like there wasn't anything worth talking. It was the first time she experienced something like that with Ichigo.

And why the hell it felt like she was seeing him for the last time in her life?

"Good." He stood in front of her, and felt really awkward. There was something in that trip that he didn't like, something made him nervous. And Byakuya again… he just couldn't stand this guy and the way he treated Rukia. Even though they were technically related, sometimes he felt that Rukia would feel a lot more comfortable with foster family than this selfish imbecile, who cared more about business forecasts than results of the exams of his own sister. "Just remember to check your phone regularly if you're accepted or not."

Rukia smiled, because he was the one who never picked up his.

"Right. Same to you, jackass. Text me if you know something."

"Fine, shorty."

The moment he finished the sentence, the door to the train closed and they still stood in the same positions, just looking at themselves through the glass.

They heard a loud whistle, smiled gently to each other and the train moved.

Ichigo made a step forward, without thinking, and only then realized how stupid the gesture was. He could never go together with the train, so he stopped and watched as the carriage that Rukia was in disappeared behind the bent on the railway station.

After all that stress with exams, she really deserved a break.

_So do I._ He thought and headed back home, thinking about a new game for his x-box he bought recently.

He was still grounded after the fight with Kaien. His mother let him out only on special occasions, mostly when she needed help with shopping or to walk Zangetsu.

Plus, he attended one-hour therapy sessions with Mr. Urahara every Tuesday, starting with the beginning of the holiday.

Kisuke Urahara was the most idiotic of psychologist he has ever met.

And he had a great experience if it comes to psychologists.

His parents however, were positive about the favorable changes in his behavior after each session.

Bull shit.

The only change _he_ observed in his own behavior was general irritation.

The sly bastard had only a really good talk, which made Masaki and Isshin pay the money he wanted.

Then, another month of boredom. Now when Rukia left, he would have nobody to talk to, since she was the only one that visited him after exams.

Not that he ever had any _real_ friends beside her anyways.

Now, that's the great holiday he's been wishing for so long.

_Thanks, Kaien. Thanks a lot._

Rukia closed her almost full sketchbook and put the pencil back into her bag.

She was supposed to get off on the next stop.

She was a bit nervous, because she hasn't seen Momo for two years and it might be a bit awkward to pull the conversation, but in some way she missed her cousin.

When they were younger, they visited each other every summer and winter holiday. As the time went by, that tradition slowly disappeared, because each year more duties appeared, in Momo's case there was her boyfriend, Toshiro Hitsugaya, who occupied most of her time.

The train slowed down and Rukia reached for her suitcase, which was packed on the shelf, where Ichigo left her.

It was a bit difficult for someone of her size to get it down, but she managed to do it herself.

_Now, let's have a little relax after all of this, _she thought and got off the train.

Her head was spinning in every possible direction, and finally she heard someone yelling: "Rukia! Here!" She turned around to the place where the voice was perceived, and saw running Momo, as cheerful as ever, still with the same small bun on top of her head, smiling widely. There was a boy of her size walking behind her with completely white hair and intriguing turquoise eyes.

_That must be Toshiro_. She heard so much about these eyes through the phone, that even though she has never seen them personally, she was sure she would recognize them everywhere.

"Rukia! You haven't changed at all! It's so nice to see you!" Before Rukia realized her intentions, Momo had already glomped her and squeezed like a favorite plushie.

"Nice to see you too, Momo…" She managed to stutter.

"Oh. Rukia, this is Toshiro, my boyfriend, and Toshiro, this is Rukia, best cousin ever." Momo smiled as she made the presentation.

Rukia reached her hand and Toshiro shook it firmly.

"I brought him, because I figured out you'll have a heavy suitcase and it's quite a long way to our house. So tell me, how did your finals go? Do you think you'll get into the Art Academy?"

"Thank you very much." Rukia said to the short boy, who had already took the bag from her and walked forward, giving them space to talk.

"No problem." He said coldly and Rukia thought that he might not be the most sociable type, but also noticed the softer look when he glanced at Momo.

"Finals…" Rukia turned back to Momo, adjusting her small brown bag. "All the writing stuff went good, at least I think so, but the entrance exam of drawing… I don't know. It depends on how harsh will they judge."

"Don't worry!" Momo exclaimed and patted Rukia's back. "It'll be all right, I know how good you are, they would have to be nuts not to accept you. By the way, I hope you'll draw something for me during the stay if we'll get some free time, because I prepared loads of activities for us!" Momo took her arm happily.

"What kind of activities…?" Rukia felt a cold shiver, because knowing Momo she would love her to meet all her friends- and the amount of them was tremendous, since Momo, opposite to her, was always the one who loved to know new people- and visit all clubs and parties within a mile.

"Tonight, we're free, I figured you'd be tired after the journey and you'd like to unpack everything, but tomorrow, we're going to the zoo! It was opened only a few days ago, right beside my house! I've read in the web that this is the best zoo in this part of the country, so I thought I'll wait and go with you, what do you think?"

_Thank God._

"Why not?" Rukia felt that Momo's excitement was slowly passing on her. If she had that kind of attractions she didn't mind.

"Yay! I can't wait! After the zoo, I was asked to go to Kira, you remember him? He called me yesterday and said that he cannot put up the tent I borrowed him. Can you believe it? He's going with his buddies on the trip into the mountains and needed it desperately. I hope you don't mind if we visit him, it's not that far from the zoo."

Now this has become more like Momo. Always had tons of things to do with her friends.

"And next week, we're going on the fest! There will be a really big one in my school, isn't that cool?"

"Yeah, sure." Rukia responded weakly. She never liked this kind of events, but those were her holiday, damn it, and maybe it's better that she won't even get time to think about those twisted situations with her brother and Ichigo.

"You don't seem very pleased. Don't you want to go?" Momo frowned worriedly.

Maybe she needed some change.

Screw it.

"What are you talking about, of course I want to go." Rukia grinned to Momo and she immediately did the same.

"You'll see it's gonna be _so_ much fun! This will be the holiday of your life!" Momo lifted her arm with a serious expression, as if she was a chief in a battle.

They both laughed at the action and walked slowly behind Toshiro, talking about old friends they both knew and how much they changed since the last time they have seen each other.

Rukia felt at ease. Talking to Momo, laughing from her jokes, that really made her believe that all the gloomy thoughts were left in the Karakura.

From now on, it was only her and Momo. And all kind of attractions she had prepared for her.

%%%

Ichigo was sitting on the red, uncomfortable, leather sofa in the square office. He tried to pretend that nothing's pissing him off, nor the sofa, nor the lightning bulb that was shining almost directly onto his face, nor the silence or amused look of the blonde psycho, who was wearing his stupid kimono and even more stupid hat with green and white stripes. He occupied an old, cozy armchair, which, as the only one, didn't match the cold and futuristic room styling.

"So, Ichigo… will you finally tell me what was that fight in the kitchen about or will we sit like that for the next three months? Both you and me have better things to do, so I would _love _you to start talking. But.. this is your choice." The therapist pulled out a green and white fan from the drawer and started to study it precisely.

"No big deal, I have already told you. A simple fight between siblings, that's all." Ichigo sighed and rolled his eyes. How exactly is he supposed to help him? If he tells Urahara now, and then he would repeat everything to Masaki or Isshin, he can be sure that from that day on, his house turns into the hell. They would attack him, claiming he made up everything, trying once again to lie away Kaien's reputation. What was that for?

Urahara, just as expected, didn't let go.

"Well, it was not a _simple _fight between siblings, because when your mother found you, your twin's face was almost massacred. Don't tell me you threw yourself at him because he didn't want to pass you a spoon." He spoke still smiling. "If you keep insisting on that, I think I will have to force your parents to extend the therapy… maybe for the whole next year?"

"You can't do that. I've got school." Ichigo gritted his teeth so hard that he felt his gums hurt.

"I'm afraid I can't let you attend _any_ school, especially a medical one, if you're so aggressive." Urahara put the fan down on the huge black desk and leaned the back of the soft armchair a little more, what made Ichigo feel even more uncomfortable on his seat than before.

What was the worst, Ichigo knew that he could do that.

He felt trapped.

"I would also feel obliged to tell your parents not to let you stay around any other people… I mean all your friends. Including adorable miss Kuchiki, which, I believe is your best friend… or a girlfriend?"

Ichigo's fists clenched and itched, when he heard sing-songy tone of Kisuke while speaking of Rukia; he just died to knock that fucked up therapist out and a go home.

Instead, he took a deep breath and replied peacefully "She's not my girlfriend. We're friends from the early childhood."

"Ahh, sorry for the mistake." He smiled like a cat, who caught its prey and Ichigo just _knew_ he did that mistake on purpose. "How about you tell me how you two met?"

Well. He could tell about that. It was nothing big.

"I don't remember clearly, but I guess that other kids were making fun of my hair color and she came to defend me." Ichigo's frown deepened, because he couldn't remember the details, but there was one thing constantly appearing in his mind: huge, sapphire eyes in amazingly thick and ridiculously chunky glasses. He almost burst into laughing, because he realized those were probably the same ones she was wearing now.

Seriously, her brother owns half of the banks in the Karakura and he cannot buy her new glasses?

That's just unbelievable.

"… Ichigo?"

Crap, he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the question.

"Can you repeat?"

"I was asking how it felt to be saved by a girl? Were you ashamed?" Urahara spread the fan and covered his whole face except eyes, which were drilling into his brain and making him irritated.

"No I wasn't. I was relieved that there is somebody who doesn't say I'm strange. And stop moving this fan, it makes me sick." Ichigo added when he saw how Urahara's blonde hair were disheveled by the small wind from the green and white thing.

"Umm, I'm sorry then. But what else could you do with the fan?" The psychologist giggled and Ichigo gritted his teeth harder. What a freak.

"Now tell me, did you ever feel indebted to her because of that?"

"No. From that day on, we hung out together and helped each other."

"So you're really good friends."

"Yeah."

"How often do you see each other?"

"Every day, we go to the same school." _You idiot._ Ichigo added in his mind.

"And you also hung out after the lessons?"

"Yeah, I've told you before. What kind of interrogation is that?"

"I'm just asking, why are you so mad at me?" Urahara threw his legs on the desk and Ichigo could see the sandals on his feet. He must be out of his mind to walk in something like this on the streets. Plus that kimono of his… He really suspected that Kisuke needs more help than he does.

"Has she ever protected you again?"

Ichigo laughed sarcastically.

Stupid question once again.

Urahara knew more than anybody else how many scrimmages he had during his stay at school. Ichigo assumed he had read every note he got from teachers, so he _must_ have known that Rukia was involved in 80% of them.

"Sure, we were taking part in fights together. Well, at least as long as she could match the opponent. She would always watch my back and I watched hers."

"Have you ever fought somebody only because of her?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Somehow he felt like he was cornered in the street by a group of rebels. He didn't know how to respond.

"Happened once… or twice…" He mumbled and observed Urahara who was now smiling as if he had told him that Christmas is earlier this year.

"I guess we're done for today. You can go home, Mr. Kurosaki. Make sure to greet Mrs. Kuchiki from me when you see her."

"She's not here." He retorted harshly, before he thought what he was doing. _Great._

"Oh, really? Where is she then?"

"Never mind. I have to go." Ichigo hurried to the door of the office before the therapist could change his mind and start another round of questions.

When he shut the door, he heard "See you next week" in his usual, singing manner.

_God, I don't believe in you, but help me in case I kill him one day._

"Ruuuuukia… It's time to get up… Ruukia…" Rukia felt Momo shaking her arm delicately. She also heard her cousin urging her to get up, but she didn't want to get up so badly…

"I knooooow… just five more minutes… please… only five minutes…"

"You say that every morning for the past week and I always end up dragging you out of the bed." Momo laughed and Rukia noticed, that the pressure on the mattress disappeared. She used the occasion and dug herself deeper under the covers.

Ah.

So nice and warm.

Judging from the noises, Momo has already tidied her bed and now she was looking through her enormous pile of clothes, that almost poured down from her wardrobe.

Rukia could swear that it was impossible for one person to own that many clothes.

And shoes… dear Lord, that was even worst. High heels- with or without toes, sandals- flat, high heeled; trainers, ballerinas, boots; all in at least three different colors.

If Rukia didn't see it with her own eyes, she would not believe it all belonged to one person.

But it actually did.

Her cousin was exactly the opposite of her.

Every day she styled her hair, put on the makeup, choose carefully the clothing and shoes. Observing all those ministrations Rukia felt really proud of herself that she was ready to go out in less than ten minutes; in Momo's case it took about an hour to be ready for a short trip to the nearby shop or to borrow a glass of sugar from the neighbor living across the street.

That way, she could always sleep a little longer than her.

"All right, now it's really time to get up. I'm serious this time!" Suddenly a delicate cold wind blew onto Rukia's bare legs, when Momo took her covers with force.

Now Rukia deeply regretted sleeping in shorts.

"Ok, I'm up." Rukia sat lazily on the bed and stretched her bones, trying to adjust her poor eyesight to the surroundings. It didn't give her much, but at least now she could assess how far from her Momo was standing.

Now, the only thing she needed…

"Your glasses." Momo put something into her hand.

"Thanks."

"No prob. Tell me once again, why won't you buy contacts? Or at least some decent glasses? Those look like you found them on the excavations."

"Those are Hisana's." Rukia looked at Momo, now seeing her features clearly.

"So?"

"What do you mean? Those are my sister's glasses and I wear them because I like to remember about her."

To Rukia's surprise Momo started to laugh.

"Ok, I get it. But don't you have anything else what belonged to your sister? Like a necklace or earrings? You would look a lot better if only you had different frames…"

"I've never thought about that. I wear them since I was a child and I got used to them."

"You wear them since childhood? My God. Let's have some breakfast, I need a cup of coffee."

Rukia couldn't understand Momo's shock. Was it so strange?

Who cares.

She liked her glasses and she could see well in them, so what's the point in changing them?

They both went downstairs and Momo turned on the coffee express, while Rukia started to make toasts.

It has become their daily routine to wake up, dress and then eat a toast, sipping a coffee.

Rukia had to admit, that living with Momo was so much easier than with her brother.

She never had to ask about anything, she never felt uncomfortable and there was no reason to watch her manners or words. Everything was so natural and loose, that the memory of cold dining room with two snow white plates, on the snow white tablecloth next to which a perfectly polished, silver knife, fork and spoons were placed was slowly becoming disturbing and Rukia tried to avoid thoughts about coming back.

There wasn't any news about the college, Ichigo has written to her only once, saying that he will kill Urahara if he goes to another session, her brother has not even called to make sure she got to Momo's safely.

What meant everything was normal.

Living with Momo was like living in a different dimension, living a different life.

Here they were visiting her friends almost every day, or Momo's friends came to visit her; it was a nice way to spend the time. Maybe not exactly what she wished for but it was kind of interesting to watch a group of people who were so kind and close to each other. Rukia preferred to stay aside, but they accepted it. She exchanged a few words with each, but she was far from feeling comfortable in their company. On the other hand, she didn't feel embarrassed. She would laugh with them, take part in the games and once, she has even went with Momo to a small barbecue party.

It was really pleasurable, and she wondered, why couldn't she spend time like this in Karakura.

There was only Ichigo to talk to, nobody ever invited them to a barbecue, nobody ever thought about asking them to come for a birthday party.

Like she thought before, it was a different dimension, and she better not get used to it.

"You realize that this is the day of the fest in my school, don't you?" Momo asked all of sudden and something in her tone made Rukia put down the toast she was holding in her right hand. She adjusted the red, baggy blouse and wiped the sweat off her hands to the jeans.

"The one you mentioned the day I arrived?" Rukia gulped. She felt before, that this was going to be a big and very important party with loads of people. Actually, she hoped that Momo has resigned from going there since she hasn't spoken about that even once from that day.

"Exactly." Momo pushed her chair closer to Rukia. "And I want you to come with me." She looked into Rukia's eyes. "I don't take "no" for an answer." She added after she had noticed Rukia's embarrassment.

"Look, Momo…"

"I told you I don't take "no"." Momo stood up and took another two warm toasts on her plate. "I want you to go. You can't be here alone, while I'm having fun. You already know some of my friends, don't you like them?" Rukia felt a little bit panicked, when Momo caught her hand and looked pleadingly into her eyes.

"Of course I do. It's just…"

"Then please, come with me!"

"Momo." Rukia said seriously, looking directly at her cousin. "I really like your friends, I really do, I just don't like that kind of events. I… I just don't fit in." Rukia paused, because she didn't know how to explain to somebody as popular and cheerful as Momo, that she was the weirdo in her school and people were generally not fond of her company.

"What do you mean you don't fit in? You absolutely fit in! You'll be with me and the rest, it's gonna be cool music, drinks, fun… It's your holiday Rukia and I won't let you be bored when you're with me! I know that maybe in your hometown things looks different, but here… what do you have to lose? You'll see, you will not regret. So?"

There was shining hope in Momo's eyes and Rukia felt her barriers were slowly breaking.

"Ok, but if I feel awkward I'll come back home."

"You definitely won't! I'm so glad!" Momo exclaimed happily and hugged her tightly."It's gonna be great!" Rukia watched in amazement, as Momo bit a piece of toast and rushed to the telephone. She pressed a few buttons and started a conversation with Rangiku, which kinda scared her.

"Ran? Guess what? Rukia agreed! We'll be at your place in an hour… Yes, yes, I took care of it, everything's ready. No, I got it. You just focus on the things we spoke about earlier." Momo sent astonished Rukia one long glance with mysterious smirk. "Sure, cool. Ok, See you soon sweetie, bye!"

"What the hell was that, Momo?" Rukia felt angry, that she was talking about her with Rangiku, when she was not around. And all those "I took care of everything"… She definitely didn't like it.

"You'll see. Now, grab your phone and we're leaving. Just give me five more minutes." Momo said while chewing the remnants of the toast and drinking all what was left in her cup. She has opened her bag, put a few things into and asked with irritation, after seeing Rukia's pose with arms tangled on the chest and brows furrowed to the limits. "What?"

"I'm not going anywhere, until you tell me what it is about."

"Oh, come on…" She made a tired gesture with her hands. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Rukia still sat on her chair, not moving an inch. Momo breathed out heavily.

"We prepared a surprise for you, but if I tell you what it is, it won't be surprise."

"I want to know."

"Don't be a kid Rukia, it's not like I'm going to kill you. You'll like it, I promise." Momo came closer and started to pull Rukia's hands up. "Now, let's go, we don't have time."

Rukia hesitated for a moment. That conversation with Rangiku was a bit strange… as was everything connected to Rangiku. The girl was just too straightforward for Rukia's taste.

She was walking with her enourmous boobs literally _flowing_ from her skimpy blouses, hit on every guy who was worth attention, drunk as much as she could pour into her stomach and never really cared about it. What was the strangest thing, everybody seemed to like her and don't mind all those things at all. Girls forgave her flirting with their boyfriends, boys who were heartbroken because of her could eventually become best buddies with her… And the strangest thing was that Rukia liked her in some way as well, even though she hardly would admit it to herself.

That girl was just a shining star everywhere she showed up and people simply accepted her with all her disadvantages.

Rukia looked once again at pleading Momo and stood up slowly.

"Fine. I hope you're not gonna torture me either." Rukia smiled weakly and put her phone into the pocket.

"Suspicious as always." Momo giggled. "Just leave everything to me, tonight it's gonna be so much fun…" With that Momo put on her ballerinas, adjusted huge, fashionable bag and Rukia tied the shoelaces in her converses.

"Have I told you before that I am really glad that you came?" Momo closed the door and smiled to Rukia with usual, kind expression on her face.

"Umm… no… but…" Rukia felt a little embarrassed.

"So, I am really happy that you came here! I missed you soooooo much!" Momo caught her arm spontaneously and led to Rangiku's place .

Rukia looked at Momo, who was smiling from ear to ear, and babbling about her friends' recent heart issues, things she would like to buy, but couldn't afford, small, every-day quarrels with Toshiro…

It felt so easy and so strange. She had never talked to Ichigo like that.

_No surprise, he's a guy and he probably wouldn't like to buy that cute, pink dress that costs a fortune in the city centre, _Rukia thought sarcastically, but couldn't resist a feeling that even though she loved to spend time with Ichigo- climbing the trees, the long midnight walks with Zangetsu or being on the lockout while he was changing the grades in the log of a couple of guys who have pissed him off recently… - that was all cool, but all in all she was a girl and even though she has been fighting with her sensitive nature for the past 17 years, that was still a part of her.

"… and then he told her that he cannot be with her anymore, because he's moving house! Can you imagine that? When I imagine Toshiro is leaving, I feel like crying at once… I know there are phones, e-mails and other stuff, but that can't replace every day contact, don't you think?"

"Uhmm." Rukia answered shortly, because she lost the track of the conversation.

"You were not listening."

"Yeah…" Rukia chuckled nervously. "But… I'm really happy I'm here as well."

When Momo smiled in response, Rukia thought that it was probably the first time, after her sister's death, that someone has told her she was actually wanted.

**~Hey everybody, long time no see. Things are really busy in my life. But I hope you'll still enjoy this chapter, even though it's full of mistakes. My English has become a little rusty, since I almost stopped using it. Still, hope everything's good with you and you'll find some time to tell me what you think of this chapter. **

**M.**


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